The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-08-10
An Adventure in the AdirOndacks.

An Adventure i'm the AdirOndacks.
A lonely farmhouse among the soil
tudes, with wild, vapor-crowned hills
surrounding it and the weird hush of
foamy cataracts in the steep gorges
beyond; a sunset all purple and gold,
with masses of bright-edged clouds
piled above and walls of forest closing
the landscape darkly in. Flora Mont
calm bad seen many "Twilight on
the walls of picture galleries and artists
studios, but she never saw one that
impressed her with such a sense of
mystery and gloom as this.
She had been crossing the mountain
from the obscure little railroad station
at Howlet's Hollow to the Gothic cot
tage among the glens of the Adiron-
dacks, where, "the world forgetting,
by the world forgot her aunt and
cousins were spending the summer.
And Just at this stage of the journey,
about half way, the rickety old vehicle
had chosen to break down, leaving her
no alternative but to pass the night at
the nearest place of shelter.
"There's a blacksmith shop three
miles beyond" suggested her chariot
eer, a red-haired, freckled-faced giant
of two or three and twenty; {" but we
ant get it fixed up afore tomorrow
morning anyway, as | see; and Bezaleel
Hopkins folks they'll keep we all
night, Miss, and glad o. the chance"
Flora glanced timidly at the one-story
farmhouse, with its steep, sloping roof
overgrown with patches of different
colored moss and lichens and house
leeks, and its one huge chimney out
lined against the stormy sunset sky.
but I'm afraid to stay there" she
faltered cit looks so lonely and so
strange"
"Good land, Miss, We have no call
to be afeared!'' said Joseph Kip.
Bezaleel Hopkins folks is clever
enough. And besides, there amt
nothing else we can do, as | see-unless
you've a notion to camp out in the
woods, alone with the muskeeters and
the minks and foXes'
This last argument was the most con-
vincing of them all, and reluctantly
enough Miss Montcalm allowed herself
to be conducted to this lonely eyrie
among the hills.
The farmhouse kitchen, revealed by
the touch of Mr. Kilp's unceremonious
hand on the latch, was not unlike one
of Rembrandt's interiors. A great fire
of logs blazed on the hearth, although
it was in the month of July; half a
dozen rough-looking men sat around
the blaze and an old woman was spin
ming in the corner, while tall girl of
sixteen sat knitting opposite.
g Evenin', Mrs. Hopkins" addressed
Mr.. Kip to the old priestess of the
whirling wheel. We've had break
down and my passenger wants to stay
all night Can you keep her?''
The old woman stared minute over
the rims of her steel spectacles before
she answered, in harsh, grating voice {:
Yes, likely we can"
And thus Miss Montcalm was ushered
into this social circle of the wilderness.
The tall girl, at whisper from the
old woman, shufled into another room,
probably to see about refreshments for
the newcomers. And while Joseph
Kip entertained the group with cir
cumstantial account of just how it all
happened Flora looked timidly around
her.
1t was so strange, so wild, so solitary.
And, in spite of her resolve to be brave
and self-reliant, Flora could not help
inwardly quaking.
81 don't like the looks of these peo-
pie at all " she thought. They stare
at my watch-chain and my rings. Sup
pose this should be trap into which
this man Kip is deliberately leading
me! | have heard and read of such
things before. Why did trust myself
alone in the power of these human
vampires? Why did not insist on the
mans going on, wheels or no wheelsi
Or why could we not have gone di
rectly to the blacksmith's?"
And Flora worked herself up TO sucl
a state of nervous excitement by these
queries that she had no vestige o
appetite left by the time that judith
Ann, the tall damsel, brought in tw'
bowls of new milk, a pan of crisp
brown acketed doughnuts and liberia
supply of buttermilk biscuit and de
delicious golden butter.
81 can't eat,n she said, family.
&c can" said Joseph Kip, MOVING
his chair up to the table. " i guess
could eat a sheet-iron door If ther
want nothin' else handy"
Meanwhile Judith Ann had sided u
alongside of the newcomer and wa
furtively feeling of her dress.
- Is it silk, now?" she said, with
chuckle. Real silk?"
"No," Flora answered, shortly, 81
is poplin."
Nowise discounted, Miss Hopkin
transferred her attention to the gol
watch-chain that hung from Flora's bel
"Would you mind lettin' me look 6
that arp" she asked. "Is it good gold
I've got a brooch / bought o. LII